Officer Parrot

Officer Parrot are a young band from Melbourne’s north eastern suburbs, who play original compositions inspired by multiple genres including folk, latin, indie, pop, jazz and world music! Mixing instruments such as piano accordion and ukulele with electric bass, drums, and horns, Officer Parrot’s songs vary from slow, lyrical pieces, right through to fast, up-beat numbers filled with energetic percussion! The band was founded in early 2010 by brothers Martin and Finn Bennet, and was the culmination of a number of earlier projects.

Right from the start, the aim of Officer Parrot was to be able to play live sets of entirely original music, and this was made possible by Finn’s compositions. Throughout the first year, the band picked up many gigs in pubs and bars around Melbourne, receiving a lively reception from audiences. Recording their album ‘One Day’ was the logical next step, and provides listeners with a cross-section of Officer Parrot’s styles. The album was produced entirely independently by the band members, recorded by Greg Macmillan in Christmas Hills on the edge of the Yarra Valley, and mastered by Steve Vertigan of Soggy Dog Recording Studio.

Officer Parrot draws specific influence from artists including Beirut, The Cat Empire, The Shins and Sufjan Stevens, as well as drawing from many years of folk and world music festivals. Much of their early performing experience was gained playing ‘blackboard’ slots at these festivals.

Officer Parrot’s five members are:
Finn Bennet – Vocals, Ukulele, Trombone, Keyboard
Martin Bennet – Backing Vocals, Bass Guitar
Nico Callaghan – Piano Accordion, Glockenspiel, Keyboard, Piano, Percussion
Maddison Carter – Drums, Percussion, Glockenspiel
Felix Watson – Trumpet